How did a thresher function?

Answer 1

The objective of the threshing machine was to seperate out the grain (wheat or oats seeds) from the stalk on which they grew (the straw). The threshing machine was typically run by a tractor which had a long leather belt running from its power take-off pulley to a pulley on the thresher. Bundles of wheat or oats or barley would be forked (by hand) onto a moving conveyor (like a treadmill) on the front of the thresher that pulled the bundles into the thresher assisted by long reciprocating arms that helped to pull the bundles in. Internally, the bundles were beat and shook to remove the grain seeds. Layers of screens of different mesh sizes separated the seeds from the straw and a fine powdery chaff from the seed heads. The grain seeds were fed by an auger out of the thresher into a wagon, truck or a stationary grainery in a barn. The straw was blown out through a long tube of about 12 inches diameter to make a straw stack. The fine chaff might be blown out or collected at a separate outlet to minimize the otherwise very dusty and potentially flammable environment. The outer sides of the thresher had many pulleys and belts and, along with the conveyor, constituted a very dangerous piece of machinery when running. Threshing was a 1 or 2 day event on a typical farm and required the help of about 2 to 6 persons to efficiently get the job done. Usually, another farm was waiting for the availability of the use of the thresher.